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News & Events

Expert researchers converge on Broome to tackle health challenges in Northern Australia

Over 100 researchers and health professionals from around Australia have united in Broome this week to address the major health battles facing people living in the tropical north of the country.

News & Events

RSV and influenza detections hit record low levels in 2020

Western Australia has experienced historically low levels of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and influenza this winter due to the public health measures implemented to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

News & Events

New meningococcal strains bring increased risk in WA

A new study has confirmed the changing pattern of meningococcal disease in Western Australia.

News & Events

Babies at risk due to delayed vaccinations

As many as a quarter of Australian babies aren’t getting vaccinated on time, leaving them at risk of developing life-threatening illnesses such as whooping cough when they are most vulnerable.

News & Events

Wesfarmers tops 2019 GivingLarge Report

The major funder of the Wesfarmers Centre of Vaccines and Infectious Diseases based at The Kids Research Institute Australia has been recognised as Australia’s most generous giver.

News & Events

$35 million to develop vaccine with potential to save half a million lives per year

A vaccine to prevent rheumatic heart disease (RHD) and other life-threatening conditions caused by the common Strep A bacteria is a step closer thanks to funding announced by Minister for Indigenous Health, Hon Ken Wyatt AM, MP, in Perth today.

Research

Haemophilus influenzae remains the predominant otitis media pathogen in Australian children undergoing ventilation tube insertion in the PCV13 era

Understanding patterns of bacterial carriage and otitis media (OM) microbiology is crucial for assessing vaccine impact and informing policy. The microbiology of OM can vary with geography, time, and interventions like pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCVs). We evaluated the microbiology of nasopharyngeal and middle ear effusions in children living in Western Australia, 11 years following the introduction of PCV13.

Research

Effectiveness of 2023 southern hemisphere influenza vaccines against severe influenza-associated illness: pooled estimates from eight countries using the test-negative design

Annual estimates of seasonal influenza vaccine effectiveness can guide global risk communication and vaccination strategies to mitigate influenza-associated illness. We aimed to evaluate vaccine effectiveness in countries using the 2023 southern hemisphere influenza vaccine formulation.

Research

Cohort profile: A population-based record linkage platform to address critical epidemiological evidence gaps in respiratory syncytial virus and other respiratory infections

The Western Australia (WA) Respiratory Infections Linked Data Platform is a population-based cohort established to investigate the epidemiology of RSV and other respiratory infections in children aged 0-10 years, incorporating microbiological testing patterns, hospital admissions, emergency department presentations, and socio-demographic data.

Research

Healthy skin for children and young people with skin of colour starts with clinician knowledge and recognition

Skin conditions most frequently encountered in paediatric practice include infections, infestations, atopic dermatitis, and acne. Skin of colour refers to skin with increased melanin and darker pigmentation, and reflects global racial and ethnic diversity.